New Zealand captain defends decision to bat after Kiwis score 45

Cape Town

New captain Brendon McCullum has defended his decision to bat after the Black Caps were rolled for 45 on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town. New Zealand couldn’t even last until lunch, crumbling in 19.2 overs as Vernon Philander ripped through the top order with a superb display of seam bowling in taking 5-7.

Only Kane Williamson could manage double figures, lasting barely half an hour and 19 balls for his 13 in the worst batting effort by a New Zealand team in 57 years. The Proteas then compounded the Black Caps’ humiliation in cruising to 3-252 at stumps, with Alviro Petersen racking up his fifth Test century to finish the day unbeaten on 103.

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"We knew it was going to be challenging for the first little part, but obviously not 10-45 challenging," he said.

"I guess in hindsight it would have been nice to have that assistance with the ball from our side of things. But if we’d done well with the bat, it could have been one of us sitting 100 not out overnight."

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New Zealand’s total is the eighth-lowest ever in Test cricket, and their worst since Australia rolled them for 42 in Wellington in March 1946. It stands as the Kiwis’ third worst total after a world-beating all-time low of 26 against England in 1955.

McCullum described New Zealand’s performance as bitterly disappointing, especially given the expectations with which they approached the Test, and said the Black Caps’ dressing room was a sombre place.

"There’s some really hurt boys - we had such high hopes coming into this game. To have put out the performance we did today ... you look around the changing room and you know everyone is hurting immensely."

He said a sub-standard New Zealand batting effort and Philander’s superb bowling had combined in a perfect storm.

"The conditions clearly helped him today, and his ability to constantly hit that same line, that same length and have the ball either dart back in or hold its line and bounce away as he did with a few of the dismissals as well is a real strength.

"I can’t stress how great a bowling performance that was. But we weren’t anywhere near where we need to be today with the bat."AAP